Audit & assurance
Audit services in Dubai, signed by approved auditors.
Quick Ashford audits mainland and free zone companies across the UAE. Every engagement follows International Standards on Auditing and ends with a signed report your free zone authority, your bank and the Federal Tax Authority will accept.
- Typical SME audit once records are complete
- 1 to 3 weeks
- Standards behind every report
- ISA & IFRS
- Agreed in writing before fieldwork
- Fixed fee
Overview
An audit that is planned around your deadline.
An external audit is an independent examination of your financial statements. The auditor tests the figures against bank records, contracts and invoices, then gives a written opinion on whether the statements present a true and fair view under IFRS.
In the UAE that opinion is more than a formality. Free zones ask for it at licence renewal, banks ask for it before lending, and the corporate tax rules make it mandatory for larger businesses and for every Qualifying Free Zone Person. We start from the date your report is due and plan the fieldwork backwards, so the signed report is in your hands with time to spare.
- Licensed audit firm in Dubai
- Mainland and free zone companies
- Reports in the authority’s required format
- One point of contact from start to signature
What is included
Audit and assurance services we provide.
Whatever the reason for the audit, the work follows the same discipline: plan, test, report.
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Statutory audit
The annual external audit of your financial statements, required by the Commercial Companies Law, most free zones and the corporate tax rules.
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Free zone audit
Audit reports for licence renewal in DMCC, JAFZA, DAFZ, DSO, RAKEZ, SAIF Zone, Hamriyah and other UAE free zones.
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Internal audit
A review of your controls, processes and risks, reported to owners or the board with practical fixes ranked by priority.
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Due diligence
Financial and tax due diligence before you buy a business, bring in an investor or sign a joint venture.
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Tax-driven audits
Audited statements for Qualifying Free Zone Persons and for businesses with revenue above AED 50 million, as the corporate tax rules require.
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Special purpose reports
Liquidation audits, turnover certificates for landlords, agreed-upon procedures and other reports a regulator or counterparty asks for.
Free zone audits
Audit rules and approved auditors by free zone.
Each free zone sets its own filing rule and decides which auditors it accepts. Pick yours to see how it works.
Good to know
Who needs an audit in the UAE?
Several rules can apply to the same company. If any of these describes you, an audit is either mandatory or soon will be.
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Free zone companies
Most free zone authorities require audited financial statements every year as a condition of renewing the licence.
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Corporate tax payers
Revenue above AED 50 million, or status as a Qualifying Free Zone Person, makes audited statements compulsory.
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Mainland LLCs
The Commercial Companies Law requires limited liability companies to appoint a licensed auditor each year.
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Companies raising money
Banks, investors and buyers will ask for audited accounts before they commit, often for the last two or three years.
Getting started
What we need from you.
You can share everything by secure upload. If the books are not ready, our accounting team can bring them up to date first.
- Trade licence, memorandum of association and any amendments
- Trial balance and general ledger for the year
- Bank statements and loan agreements for all accounts
- Sales and purchase invoices, with major contracts
- VAT returns and corporate tax registration details
- Fixed asset register, inventory count and payroll records
How we work
From first call to signed report in four steps.
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Free consultation
A 20 minute call or WhatsApp chat about your company, your licence and what is due.
Day 1 -
Fixed-fee proposal
A written scope, timeline and price. No hourly billing and no surprises later.
Within 24 hours -
Fieldwork
Share records by secure upload. We test, reconcile and keep you posted on every open point.
Agreed timeline -
Signed report
Your signed audit report or filed return, delivered in the format your authority requires.
Before your deadline
Audit & assurance FAQ
Questions about audit & assurance.
Have a question about your own company? An advisor replies the same working day.
Ask on WhatsApp
Who must have audited financial statements for UAE corporate tax?
Under Ministerial Decision No. 84 of 2025, two groups must prepare and keep audited financial statements: a taxable person with revenue above AED 50 million in the tax period, and every Qualifying Free Zone Person, whatever its revenue. A tax group prepares audited special purpose financial statements. The decision applies to tax periods starting on or after 1 January 2025 and replaced Ministerial Decision No. 82 of 2023.
Do free zone companies need an audit to keep the 0% corporate tax rate?
Yes. A Qualifying Free Zone Person must prepare and keep audited financial statements whatever its revenue, so a free zone company claiming the 0% rate needs an audit every year, even where its free zone does not collect the statements.
Which free zones keep an approved auditor list?
DMCC, RAKEZ and SRTI Park accept audit reports only from auditors they have approved or accredited, SAIF Zone keeps an Auditors Directory, and the regulator of DAFZ and Dubai Silicon Oasis keeps a list of approved auditors. IFZA accepts any auditor registered in the UAE, and Meydan asks for an auditor registered with the Ministry of Economy. The table on this page links to the rules for each zone.
When are audited financial statements due in a free zone?
It depends on the zone. DMCC and RAKEZ want them within six months of the financial year end. SAIF Zone, SPC and SRTI Park ask for them at licence renewal, and so does IFZA since 30 September 2025, with a simplified statement allowed for small companies. Meydan asks within 30 days of a request.
What is the difference between an internal and an external audit?
An external audit gives an independent opinion on your financial statements for outside readers such as free zones, banks and the tax authority. An internal audit looks at your controls and processes and reports to management. Many growing companies use both.
How long does an audit take in Dubai?
For most small and medium companies the fieldwork takes one to three weeks once the accounting records are complete. Groups, inventory-heavy businesses and first-year audits can take longer. We agree the timeline with the fee before we start.
Can you audit previous years that were never audited?
Yes. Backlog audits are common when a free zone, a bank or a buyer asks for earlier years. We rebuild the records where needed and audit each year in order.
What is an unqualified audit opinion?
It is a clean opinion. The auditor concludes that the financial statements present a true and fair view in line with IFRS, with no reservations. It is the outcome lenders and authorities expect to see.
Our books are not up to date. Can you still help?
Yes. We can bring the books up to date and prepare IFRS financial statements first, then carry out the audit. The two pieces of work are kept separate so the independence of the audit is protected.
Related services
Often needed alongside this.
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ServiceCorporate tax & VAT
Registration, returns and advisory for UAE corporate tax, VAT and Pillar Two, so every filing reaches the Federal Tax Authority correct and on time.
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ServiceAccounting & bookkeeping
Monthly bookkeeping and IFRS financial statements kept audit-ready all year, so year end is a review and not a rescue.
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ServiceBusiness advisory
Feasibility studies, valuations, budgets and restructuring advice from people who read your numbers every day.
Free consultation
Tell us what is due. We will tell you what it takes.
Send a few details and an advisor will call you back within one working day with next steps and a fixed quote. No obligation.
- Call+971 52 202 3984
- WhatsAppChat with an advisor
- Emailadvisor@ashfordmc.com
- OfficeAl Shafar Investment Building 121, Al Quoz Industrial Area 1, Dubai
- HoursSaturday to Thursday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM